Hoof-expander



(No Model.)

M. HEAGERTY HOOP EXPANDER.

No. 445,778. Patented Feb. 3, 1891.

UWI'INESSES: E R:

BY CAM ATTORNEY.

MICHAEL I-IEAGERTY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

HOOF-EXPANDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,778, dated. February 3, 1891.

Application filed November 25, 1890- Serial No. 372,610. (No model.)

To 60% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL IIEAGERTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lloof- Expanders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in hoof-expanders for horses feet; and it consists in the peculiarities of construction which will be more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view looking at the bottom of a horses hoof to which myexpander has been applied, and Fig. 2 a view of the expander shown in perspective.

The device is formed of a single piece of steel rod made into a pair of diverging springarms a, of equal length and round in crossseetion, and having their outer extremities turned away from each other and forming sharpened prongs Z), which take into the heel end of the hoof-box. Two toe bends e are formed at the opposite ends of these arms, and these two toe bends are connected by a double back bend (I, having short diverging arms (1. This back bend is U-shaped and extends back between the arms a, and not outside of them, and thus occupies but little space and allows ample room for the frog of the foot. The toe bends have fiat front edges 0, to adapt them for ready insertion beneath the shoe and between it and the hoof.

The device is applied by contracting the arms until it can be fitted in the hoof-box, with the said arms on either side of the frog of the hoof. The flattened toe bends e are inserted beneath the shoe and the springarms released, when the sharpened prongs b will take into the heel end of the hoof-box and the expanding pressure of said arms will act to spread the beef in the desired manner. The action of the double back bend is to give greater latitude to the movement of the arms 66, to permit their compression, while at the same time permitting them to be made of a rod of that size that will afford the desired degree of stiffness. The said double back bend therefore insures the combined effect or result mentioned-to wit, a latitude of movement to the arms and a full measure of stiffness in their expanding pressure. It will be seen that as the arms to are pressed together he short arms d of the back bend (Z will be forced apart, and hence as they contract a very strong spring-pressure to spread apart the expanding arms is obtained, and also a greater range of movement of the same, whereby improved results ensue in using the device, as will be apparent.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A hoof-expander formed of a single piece of spring metal and comprising a pair of diverging arms a, each having alateral prong b at its outer end, two toe bends c atthe converging ends of the arms, and a U-shaped double back bend (1, connecting said two toe bends and occupying a position between the said arms a, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL IIEAGERTY.

\Vitnesses:

.lNo. T. MADDoX, CHARLES W. DIGG-S. 

